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It's a testament to the acting ability of Gina McKee that even when she doesn't appear in an episode of "The Borgias," her character, Catherina Sforza, looms large in the storytelling.

The head of the Sforza clan of Milan, Catherina is the most powerful rival of Pope Alexander VI (Jeremy Irons) in Rome. As played by McKee, she's a cool, cunning and vengeful tactician with a drive that surpasses many men in 15th century Italy.

"It's lovely to have an opportunity, particularly with a historical character, to play a woman with such individuality and strength," McKee said during a recent phone conversation from her home outside of London. "She was a politician and a warrior. She fought for her people and her family—not always entirely for those reasons, but often.

"She was very unique in that respect. There are not that many people that we can look to in history who followed her lead or that have come before her."

Catherina has defeated the papal army, attempted to assassinate the pope by delivering a plague-infected gift to the Vatican; arranged the imprisonment of his daughter, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger); and in the June 2 episode, "Tears of Blood," attempted to derail the Pope's Jubilee celebration and kill his son, Cesare (Francois Arnaud).

While McKee hasn't had much screen time in the last few episodes of the series, which airs at 9 p.m. Sundays on Showtime, her character's actions drive the story forward to a probably showdown with Cesare and his army in the Season 3 finale set for June 16.

One could use the word "driven" to describe McKee as well. Probably best known in America for her role as Julia Roberts' wheelchair-bound sister-in-law in "Notting Hill," the 49-year-old actress is one of the most well-respected actresses working in British film, TV and theatrical productions today.

It's an unlikely place for the coal miner's daughter who grew up 300 miles from London, but McKee was bitten by the acting bug at 13 when she attended teen drama workshops. One of the productions was seen by a TV producer who cast her in a children's series called "Quest of Eagles." From the age of 15, she traveled to London for three summers to attend classes at the National Youth Theatre. Yet at age 17, she was rejected by three different drama schools.

"One of them said, 'Come back next year when you're 18.' But by then I'd got another job and I was working," she said. "And that was that."

McKee and I talked more about how she thinks Catherina passes her time (when not onscreen), working with animals and how not to screw up an epic scene.

When Catherina meets up with her "little pack of wolves" in "The Wolf and the Lamb," she says she wants to bring them together against the Borgias. And one of them says, "Under you, a woman?" And I had to laugh because I thought, has he not been paying attention? She's tough!

[Laughs.] Put it this way, fear doesn't control her, that's for sure. And I think she's probably been brought up, certainly the Catherina that we portray, she's been brought up not to adhere to any fears, to be a warrior, to fight for her rights, her family, her line, her lineage.

Did you know a lot about her before you started the show?

Not before, no. In Season 1, as you probably know, Catherina was hardly in it. They had said they will take the storyline further later, if we go to Season 2. So I started to find out more and more about her. And there were a few contradictions in terms of the historical accounts of her. But the essence of her comes across. And so I started to read various things about her and became intrigued. Because as research models go, it's actually a really lovely project to have, because the more you learn the more intriguing it becomes. And so since I began it I started to get into the history of it more and more.

Since "The Borgias" started I have become such a nerd for Renaissance Italy and papal history. It's great fun, you're right.

Well, it is because it's something that anybody who has gotten into historical events and the learning about the people behind the events ... knows that we kind of feel separated by the years but when you start to get to know the personalities and the reasons behind why people make decisions or do certain things, for example, it brings you very close because it kind of feels so familiar often to things that we experience in contemporary life. I've just been given another book about Catherina called "The Tigress of Forli: The Life of Catherina Sforza," which I'm looking forward to getting into, that was written by an American woman named Elizabeth Lev.

When you first were approached for the role what made you decide to take it?

I was interested to work with Neil Jordan, although I didn't actually get to work with Neil until Season 3. And the possibility of him directing some of the episodes ... was an attraction. Also, I was doing a production of "King Lear," and in terms of the timing of the shooting fit in well. So it was just really the possibility of future episodes. So it's sort of one of those things where you think, "OK if this is a nice seed to plant, let's see if we could put some water on it and let this one grow." That was the vibe. It's as simple as that really. (So glad she did take the role!)

I wanted to ask about working with Francois and Jeremy. You've have a lot of the guys that you worked with in the past, you had a lot of big names and I wanted to see how those two stack up?

It's funny because in the three seasons I think I've only had two encounters, and they're quite brief, with Jeremy. So I haven't really had a great deal of time with him.

But with Francoise, of course I have, and it's fabulous. He's such a nice guy and really easy to work with. And I like him a lot. I respect him. He's a really nice guy. He's so easy to be around and good fun. And respectful and intelligent, he's really good.

In "Siblings," Catherina comes to Rome for the wedding and she bows to the Pope (only because she chose to do so). I am just kind of in awe of the scope of that whole set and the grandness of you coming in on the horse. Does it feel as epic when you're filming as it looks onscreen?

We have a brilliant production team, it has to be said. ... So when we do those big scenes, obviously it takes great a deal of organization. And everybody's fantastic. ... So after all of that organization and great setup you don't want to mess up. [Laughs.] You come in on the horse, you get off here, you walk up there. So there's this big epic thing going on and you don't want to be the one who falls over or gets the horse to freak out or anything like that.

So those scenes are always, for me, about basics—concentrate, remember what you been taught. ... I always try not to think about the amount of organization that's gone into it just before we turn over, just so it doesn't bother me if I mess up.

That sort of answers my question: While you're on the horse and come in do you ever catch yourself thinking, "Wow this is pretty cool, this is a cool job I have here?"

Not while I was shooting. But every now and then you just have this objective moment. You think, "God this is incredible." Whenever I've worked with animals I've always had a brilliant time—I love it, absolutely love it. And so I'm always thrilled to bits whenever I have to work with creatures and animals.

And the people, the stunt team and the people who are on our team of teaching how to ride and helping us are staggeringly good. And the horse that I ride is brilliantly trained. Basically the horse knows what it's doing. I just have to sit there and look appropriate. ... This beautiful girl looks after her; it's her horse, she is so impeccable about getting it to do the right thing. And it's like when you get into an amazing car and you just think, "Oh my God this is such a powerful, amazing car." It's that kind of vibe. It's like this sort of racing cars of horses.

So I just feel incredibly privileged. I just think, "God, I'm the luckiest woman alive here. This is fab."

Of course you have it a little harder then Francois and the other guys because you have to wear those big dresses while you're on the horse.

Yeah, if you have to get on and off the horse in vision, you have to put quite a bit of pre-thought into it with all the garments and the layers of cloth. It takes a little bit of flair, I can tell you. [Laughs.]

Catherina's not onscreen a lot of the time, but I often wonder what's she up to when she isn't. Do you ever build a little history of the kinds of things she does when she's not on the screen?

I suppose, yes I have done that because I tend to do it always. But I think Catherina certainly is into falconry and her birds. And I think that her hunting with birds is probably is something that gives her enormous satisfaction. And that would take up some of her time.

I think the thing about her is she is smart. And I imagine that she is often, in her way, holding council to find out what is happening in the different regions of Italy and in Europe. She will be up-to-date with all the latest information in terms of politics and what's happening amongst the world dynasties, etc. etc. Which armies are where? She's a strategist so she would know that information. And if she didn't know it she would find out.

I think that gaining that information for her is something that she does because it obviously has political precedence in order to maintain her position. But I think she would do anyway because she's interested and it's something that isn't a chore to her. It's in her DNA. I think she would spend a great deal of time probably practicing combat, sword fencing, things like that. I think that's something that would fill her time, and also she would enjoy the sport in that. I think she would find that very appealing.

We see her a lot with the falcon. Did you get special training?

That's right. Oh gosh, that was great. That was such a pleasure. Yeah I loved that. It was really very simple the training for that. Essentially just a couple of do's and don'ts, but essentially they do it all and you just have to look like you know what you doing. You can do the same action with that particular bird a certain number of times and then the bird will be basically full because they work for food. There like actors, really. [Laughs.] So you know that you got a certain timeframe before the bird is just going to say, "No, actually I'm not hungry anymore." But beyond that you just have a couple of do's and don'ts and that's quite straightforward.

I was doing a little research and I saw this website dedicated to you and the quote on there said, "This woman is flawless." And there was a photo of you as Catherina. (Accurate description tbh)

Damn. How does Gina McKee look so good here when she was so awful as Irene Forsyte on the Forsyte saga? She was supposed to be some captivating, mysterious vixen and it was absolutely unfanthomable how men kept falling head over heels in love with her every which way.

(Anyone else see Forsyte saga, btw? I watched it on Youtube for Damien Lewis and I'm hooked!)

She was supposed to be ~mysterious and whatever but I think the way she acted was just cold and icy. Maybe it was bad direction. But it's kinda strange that even though I found her soooo annoying I was hooked! wtf haha.

Heh yeah same here, and I meant to post it earlier (especially for you! *hug*), but didn't end up having time...and especially after the finale, it seemed fitting.

Because omg bb she is SUCH a focus and gets SO much screentime and is flawless and perfect and Gina just knocks it out of the park. She remains an HBIC even in defeat...so you have that to look forward to when you finally do watch! I can understand your sentiment, I wanted to wait, but I couldn't not see it when there would be spoilers everywhere...at least it wasn't leaked even earlier! :/

I was thinking about streaming this show for the summer but I keep reading about what a nasty pedo asshole Jeremy Irons is and now I'm turned off. Would you still recommend I watch it? Is his character really prominent? Is the incest worth it?

Also, anyone got any other show reccs now that GOT has ended and left a hole in my tv schedule?

I literally started watching this show a few weeks ago, RIGHT before the cancellation news. I got all hyped up, watched all the episodes like an addict, and then found out there won't be any more. My emotions are a little frazzled.

this show is so much more emotionally intimate than GOT, you know the characters way better. it's a gorgeous, rich beautiful thing. and lol jeremy is basically a puppet manslut namedrop character, we are here for everyone else tbh

If it helps, Rodrigo is kind of a flop anyway, so disliking him is okay? And he is not in every scene...like others have said, the true protagonists are Cesare and Lucrezia, and YES THE INCEST IS WORTH IT, it is ridiculously beautiful and poignant and kills you in a good way. Like if you liked the incest on GoT...THIS IS WAY BETTER.

But also there are just so many awesome characters and wonderful family dynamics and the production values are stunning as is the acting and just GUH. One of my favorite shows ever. And if you like seeing well done female characters, this is the place to go.

The series finale was not how I wanted the show to end at all.Frankly I'm pissed. They basically rushed all the storylines to tie up the show.In Cesare's moment of triumph Micheletto wasn't even there?Why would Cesare bring an enemy assassin to a house his sister and her baby were in? That's not how Alfonso was attacked irl and Cesare would have never put them in that kind of danger.And don't even get me started on Caterina's plot. I just hate Showtime now.

Spoilers for 3x10

[Spoiler (click to open)]Yeah it was random how Micheletto came up just to drop off that bit of information, only to vanish again...why? :s He should indeed have been there by Cesare's side in his moment of triumph, and we already got Cesare mourning him before to show how much he mattered...would that have meant that Micheletto wouldn't have even been in season 4? :s

And do you mean ending with Caterina imprisoned and in chains? Because otherwise I thought her plot was pretty flawless, she got SO much attention/screentime and was such a badass even in defeat...the only thing missing was an epilogue saying she later escaped. I do wish we could have seen her in captivity and plotting that escape though.

I think I hate Neil Jordan more at this point, tbh. He really failed us/sold us short.

Re: Spoilers for 3x10

Thats exactly it. I hate how she ended up a hostage and was such a lame hostage taking at that. If she were really intent on suicide why not attack Cesare or grab a sword really quickly or something. And where the fuck did that magical carriage come from in twenty minutes? Not to mention didnt it allegedly take days to move Forli but they get her back to the Vatican overnight? Ugh. Just annoying.

I honestly feel like they've known all along this would be the last season. That's why so many important characters just vanished- Della Rovere, Guilia. They wanted to keep the storylines on one arc so they could wrap it up easier. I also think that's why the episodes all leaked so early. They were trying to bring the ratings down to justify axing the show.

Frankly I'd have been happier if they just had done a movie instead of this entire season. We got the sex but tbh I would have rather had better storyline and more of that breathless longing between them. I just hate it.

I really cannot stand Neil Jordan for this. They knew how fans felt about the show and he basically spit in our face.

ETA- guess who took fifteen tries to figure out lj cut doesn't work in comments

my tears! Cesare and Lucrezia have basically made me reenvision what physical relationships are like because of their out of this world chemistry, what will we do without any more finger biting and body stroking and nose kisses, weeeeeeep

Well no, the episode that aired on TV on Sunday, "The Gunpowder Plot," is the penultimate episode. The finale however went live at midnight this morning for Showtime Anytime and Showtime OnDemand (basically Showtime subscribers), so it's out there now and many have seen it.

I'm not going to spoil the finale, but I will say that I'm disappointed that the series ended there. It was obviously filmed as a season final and not a series finale, but there needed to be another season.

Caterina was flawless and it kills me that we're not going to get another season of her story. How it ended in the finale is depressing and I need more :(

IDK, Fuck Neil Jordan more, tbh--it sounds like Showtime would have given him the extra season if he had been willing to do a 4th season, but he was just tired of it--and they don't do movies, especially given the cost (e.g. a single movie isn't going to guarentee 3 months of subscribers like a season would, etc). And the idea for his movie sounded really terrible.

I am mad though that they didn't at least edit in a final epilogue of text saying what happened to everyone, to make it a little more hopeful for Caterina for instance. Surely they knew early enough for that...:/

Oh I don't disagree. I definitely think Neil is to blame as well, but Showtime knew this entire time that they were going to cancel it. The movie deal fall through didn't just happen. They didn't have the decency to let us know earlier instead of 2 episodes before the finale say "Obtw we're canceling it." They didn't handle this well at all imo.

Neil hasn't been any better. He obviously didn't want to do the show anymore, and instead of handing it off to someone else he decided to just end it. I do believe Showtime was right about not doing the movie because it isn't cost effective in comparison to a full season order. I don't think it was right for them to just drop the show completely.